Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

DS

BAJOThe Dragon Quest series has been around for as long as Final Fantasy and is now equally as popular amongst RPG fans. Sentinels of the Starry Skies is the ninth instalment and it introduces a new feature – four player co-operative play.

HEXIt’s you, a young hero - or heroine - teaming up with a bunch of unlikely comrades to explore a massive world, do good deeds and put an end to evil.

Four buddies can team up over a wireless connection to delve into dungeons, share loot and combine powers to take down all sorts of experience-point-spilling monsters.

BAJONow, in case you’re wondering, you can play through all of Dragon Quest 9 totally in single-player if you want... the game is still made for that... but you WILL be missing out on a bit of the multiplayer fun that has been built in to the game.

HEXYeah, it might be hard to find enough friends all with their own DS and copies of the game, but it’s worth it if you can manage it....

BAJOTypical classes include the warrior, wizard, priest and thief, and players can equip custom combinations of gear – I really liked that what you chose to equip is actually shown on your character in-game, so you and your friends can quickly identify who you are. In fact, character creation lets you choose from different faces, eyes and hair styles,it's all great.

DARRENCan you create a robot character?

BAJOErm, sorry Darren... it’s a ‘ye olde’ sort of world not a futuristic one....

DARRENLame.

BAJOThere is alchemy though, a bit like herb lore mastery in Runescape...

DARRENBrilliant!

HEXYou also get to customise skills when you level up – you have to spend a set number of points on your abilities, so you end up quite attached to your little hero character... I know I did.

BAJOYeah, my little Warrior was quite the spear master.

HEXThe world in Dragon Quest 9 is really fun, Baj – performing little sub-quests for townsfolk, mixing ingredients in the alchemy pot to create new items and gear – it’s so easy to get sidetracked...

There are some sneaky areas off the beaten track that you can’t help but check out.

BAJOYou take the role of an angelic guardian called a Celestrian, who falls to earth and must perform good deeds to make it back to your heavenly home – I was so relieved that there was none of that emo whinging that you get in so many RPGs nowadays.

HEXThe combat in the game is quite tactical, even if you’re playing solo. With a party of A.I. teammates, you can control their individual actions each turn or use preset behaviours – like ‘hang back and heal’ or ‘attack like crazy'.

Playing with real-life buddies is great if you can get everyone to co-operate and do a bit of role-play. Y’know, if you’re the only one with a Heal spell, you gotta make sure you keep an eye out for your team’s health or they are gonna get really peeved!

BAJOYeah DARREN, you didn't do such a good job of keeping me alive, did you?

DARRENWell I prefer to spend my magic points wisely Bajo...

BAJORight... My only real complaint is that there was a bit of slowdown when running about the world map. But this is a really fun game with good humour and a good story and it made me wanna go back and play the other Dragon Quest games. That's always a good sign, so I’m giving it 8.5 rubber chickens.

HEXI think Dragon Quest 9 will prove to be one of the standout DS games this year. I loved it Baj. I was having too much fun to really be bothered by any little niggles.